Confirming the Covenant for One Week - Daniel 9:27

In the book of Daniel, Daniel shared how Gabriel told him, “know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined”, and in chapter nine and verse twenty-seven of his book Daniel shared how Gabriel told him, “and he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week” where we read,

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The verse reads, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, …” Daniel began with the words, “and he shall confirm the covenant with many” or “and he, the ruler of the restored Roman Empire which is comprised of ten nations will make a prevailing, strong, powerful, mighty and great alliance, treaty and league with a great and numerous amount of people” “for one week" which means “for the length of seven days or years”: “and in the midst of the week” or “and within the middle pertaining to the seven days or years” “he shall cause the sacrifice” which means “he will make the sacred passover and thank offering” “and the oblation to cease” or “and the gift, tribute, offering and sacrifice to desist, rest, be exterminated and destroyed”. Daniel shared how this leader of the reestablished Roman government, the antichrist, will make a powerful alliance with a great number of people for “seven years”, and in the middle of the seven years, he will stop the sacred passover and offerings in the temple. 

The verse goes on to say, “… and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” Daniel continued with the words, “and for the overspreading of abominations” or “and on behalf of the extremity, border and pinnacle pertaining to detestable things and idols” “he shall make it desolate” which means “he, the ruler of the reestablished Roman government, will cause it, the sacrifice and the oblation, as appalled, stunned, stupefied, ravaged and causing horror”, “even until the consummation” or “indeed and also till the time of the termination, full end, and annihilation”, “and that determined” which means “and which is decided, decreed and sharply pointed” “shall be poured upon the desolate” or “will exist as melted and molten on the appalled, stunned, stupefied, ravaged and causing horror”. Daniel shared how Gabriel told him the ruler of the newly established Roman government, the antichrist, will cause the extremity of the detestable and sacrilegious things and idols to be set up that will make a desecration until the “fate decreed” is finally “poured out” upon him. (See Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20;  Revelation 1:3; 13:18)

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Daniel how Gabriel told him this leader, the antichrist, will make a treaty with the people of Israel the seven year period, but will then put an end to the “sacrifices and offerings” presented in God’s temple when one-half of the seven years is completed. In their place he will set up sacrilegious idols which will cause horror and be appalling until such time that his decree turns back upon him. When the “seven year” period comes, the antichrist, will be seen as the one who will save Israel, however, when he sets up an idol to himself in the temple, his true identity will be known. (See Daniel 11:36; 12:11) Destruction and devastation will come upon the earth for the next three and one-half years, and then Jesus will return again to bring destructions upon him and all that is evil. God wants all people to be in a personal relationship with Him so they avoid these times, and when we yield our lives to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and empower us to live according to that truth so we may live in a manner that does not fall prey to the “antichrist” spirits that rule in this world. (See 1 John 2:28; 4:3)

Next time we begin a new chapter and see Daniel share what happened, “in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".